Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

Well, that sounds like a pretty good deal, but our kids are older so I don’t know if companion pass applies? I have heard of SW Companion Pass, but not sure how it works.

We get free bags on United with Silver Status. Silver isn’t a big deal- lowest status, but you get free checked bags and group two boarding, which is good if you’re carrying on bags. Also, where we fly domestically, mostly our west, United is cheaper than SW. When we go overseas, SW isn’t an option.

I have had such bad luck with United changing our flights. One time they changed it so we would have a 12 hour layover, another time changed it so we wouldn’t get in until 2 am (when our kids were little) after we’d paid more to get good flight times. About a year ago, they changed my flight back from Arizona so that I had three stops—basically cross crossing the country. It was insane. I just abandoned that cost and bought a next day SW ticket for like $400 to get home.
Even thought I feel like SW is a shadow of its former self, they still have been pretty reliable with their flight times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

Well, that sounds like a pretty good deal, but our kids are older so I don’t know if companion pass applies? I have heard of SW Companion Pass, but not sure how it works.

We get free bags on United with Silver Status. Silver isn’t a big deal- lowest status, but you get free checked bags and group two boarding, which is good if you’re carrying on bags. Also, where we fly domestically, mostly our west, United is cheaper than SW. When we go overseas, SW isn’t an option.

Yea companion pass applies even for adults. We went to Hawaii last year with our teens for like $500 using points and companion passes.

I broke up with SW when their employees turned grumpy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A hedge fund is now one of Southwest’s biggest shareholders. They’re behind the firing of 1200 employees, the baggage fees etc. their goal is to increase profit to shareholders at the expense of the brand many had previously admired

To DCUM, this is a flex. Their dream is for their kids to grow up into hedge fund/PE parasites, bleed companies dry, and get rich doing so.

No. Thanks PP for this info. Is there a list somewhere because I am actively avoiding anything owned by PE. Although it's not for long right? They change the companies and then sell them?

If you do not have status with an airline to get free perks, SW was great. No paying extra to check a bag and select seats. LOVED being able to rebook with no fee. My mother in law is visiting soon. Due to some health issues, we rebooked her flight 3 times...no extra fee. I am really sad to hear of the changes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if it lowers their fares, I'm fine with it. I very rarely have more than one bag for personal travel and if I do, I'm flying for work and they are paying the baggage fees. I'm also looking forward to the option of pre-selecting seats on SW, even if there is a fee. I hate the cattle call line-up--its the biggest reason that I don't prefer SW.

This is so weird to me -- I think the A, B, C grouping is so much more efficient and pleasant.

If my seat is pre-assigned, I'm stuck there. Under the ABC old system, if I get on the plane and see some weirdo in a row, I just walk on by. Of course, someone annoying could still sit next to you, but it's nice to have a little flexibility.

I also like the boarding order just because it prevents the unruly mob.of people at the gate. You stand up for 3 minutes in your spot, then get on the plane. That part is great.

Yes, no gate lice! I find the boarding groups in SW much more orderly than having platinum, gold, emerald, diamond, groups 1-8, etc. and everyone lurking around in a cluster.

Agreed. It's also easier with young kids because you don't have to pay to select your seats and then worry about whether the selected seats will even be honored due to plane changes, etc. I've never had an issue sitting with my kids with Southwest family boarding.

Southwest hasn't been a low-cost airline for a while but was often worth it anyway due to the seating procedures and no fees for changes/checked bags. Unless their fares actually come down now I can't see us flying them as much, with the exception of routes that aren't well served by other airlines (quite a few from BWI).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

Well, that sounds like a pretty good deal, but our kids are older so I don’t know if companion pass applies? I have heard of SW Companion Pass, but not sure how it works.

We get free bags on United with Silver Status. Silver isn’t a big deal- lowest status, but you get free checked bags and group two boarding, which is good if you’re carrying on bags. Also, where we fly domestically, mostly our west, United is cheaper than SW. When we go overseas, SW isn’t an option.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

My kids are teens and we don't check unless absolutely necessary. I've never seen the allure of SW. We flew them once and hated it. For young families I get it but I've never liked the cattle call.

I never fly SW because it is for families. Ugh. I know my kids will behave on flights, but most of Americans can’t seem to parent above 10,000 ft.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

My kids are teens and we don't check unless absolutely necessary. I've never seen the allure of SW. We flew them once and hated it. For young families I get it but I've never liked the cattle call.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.

If you lived more conveniently to DCA, got companion passes (1 kid flies free with each parent) and got to check all your luggage and baby/toddler gear for free, and use free family boarding, you would understand the love.

RIP old Southwest.

I’m convinced they are also looking to do an M&A deal with another airline under the new Administration to create a new major airline. I could see a merger between JetBlue, SWA, and Spirit.

Anonymous wrote:A hedge fund is now one of Southwest’s biggest shareholders. They’re behind the firing of 1200 employees, the baggage fees etc. their goal is to increase profit to shareholders at the expense of the brand many had previously admired

To DCUM, this is a flex. Their dream is for their kids to grow up into hedge fund/PE parasites, bleed companies dry, and get rich doing so.

A hedge fund is now one of Southwest’s biggest shareholders. They’re behind the firing of 1200 employees, the baggage fees etc. their goal is to increase profit to shareholders at the expense of the brand many had previously admired

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never understood the love for SW.

Me too. Unless I lived right next to BWI, which is a SW hub, I would avoid them. I am in Frederick, which is equal distance from IAD and BWI. I choose United and Dulles 90% of the time.